Happy Eid!

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Iraq unrest: US condemns Eid attacks
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This Ramadan in Iraq is thought to have been one of the deadliest in years
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Struggle for Iraq
The US has condemned Saturday's bombings and shootings in Iraq in which more than 60 people were killed.

It said those carrying out the attacks during celebrations marking the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan were enemies of Iraq and the international community.

The state department said the attacks bore the hallmarks of al-Qaeda in Iraq.

This Ramadan in Iraq is thought to have been one of the deadliest in years, with more than 670 people killed.

In a statement, the state department said: "The terrorists who committed these acts are enemies of Islam and a shared enemy of the United States, Iraq, and the international community."

It reiterated its offer of a $10m (£6.5m) reward for information leading to the death or capture of the group's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

"He has taken personal credit for a series of terrorist attacks in Iraq since 2011, and most recently claimed credit for the operations against the Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad, the suicide bombing assault on the ministry of justice, among other attacks against Iraqi security forces and Iraqi citizens," the statement said.

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Recent Attacks
  • 12 July: Bomb at cafe in Kirkuk kills 38
  • 13 July: Bomb attacks near Sunni mosques in Baghdad kill 21
  • 14 July: At least 34 killed in bombings in several cities
  • 19 July: Twenty killed at a Sunni mosque in central Iraq
  • 20 July: Car bombs in Baghdad kill 30
  • 6 August: Bomb attacks in and around Baghdad kill at least 41
  • 10 August: Bombs in Baghdad and elsewhere kill at least 60
Most of the casualties were in the capital, Baghdad, which was hit by apparently co-ordinated car bombings near markets, cafes and restaurants.

Most of the violence in the past six months has involved Sunni Islamist militant groups targeting Shia Muslim districts, although both Shia and Sunni areas were hit on Saturday.

More than 4,000 people have died in such attacks this year. A further 9,865 have been injured, with Baghdad province the worst hit.

Last week, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki vowed to continue operations against militants, saying: "We will not leave our children to these murderers and those standing behind them and supporting both inside and outside."

Many Sunnis accuse Mr Maliki's Shia-led government of marginalising them.

The spike in violence in Iraq has raised fears of a return to the levels of sectarian killing seen following the US invasion 10 years ago, and has led commentators to discuss once again the prospect of partition along community lines.

The Iraqi government has also faced widespread criticism over corruption and the provision of basic services.

The conflict in neighbouring Syria, itself increasingly taking the form of a Sunni-Shia sectarian conflict, is further straining community relations in Iraq.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23654134
 
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Turkey alert after Pilots' Kidnaped in Beirut
Murat Akpinar (r) and his co-pilot Murat Agca (l), who were kidnapped in Lebanon

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Syria conflict
Two pilots working for Turkish Airlines have been abducted in Lebanon, near Beirut's international airport.

The men were snatched from a bus which was carrying several other crew members and passengers between a hotel and the airport terminal.

A group called Zuwwar al-Imam Rida has said it seized the men, saying they would be freed in exchange for nine Lebanese hostages in Syria.

Turkey has advised its citizens in Lebanon to leave if possible.

Turkey backs Syria's Sunni rebels, and is seen to have influence over them, while much of Lebanon's Shia community supports President Bashar al-Assad.

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Analysis
Dima Hamdan BBC News, Beirut
All information indicates that the incident is in retaliation for the kidnapping of Lebanese Shia pilgrims in Syria last year.

A previously unknown group called Zuwwar al-Imam Rida has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of the two Turkish Airlines pilots, saying they would be released in return for the pilgrims.

Although the families of the kidnapped pilgrims denied involvement, they celebrated in the street after hearing of the abduction of the two Turkish Airlines pilots.

In recent months, the families have stepped up their protests, and blamed Turkey for delays in releasing their men, given its believed close contacts with the group thought to be behind the kidnapping.

Turkish media named the kidnapped men as pilot Murat Akpinar and his co-pilot Murat Agca.

Zuwwar al-Imam Rida said the kidnapping was in retaliation for the seizure of nine Lebanese Shia pilgrims in Syria in May 2012.

Daniel Sheiab, the brother of one of the pilgrims, told the BBC Arabic service that the hostages' relatives were not responsible for the kidnapping, but said the families "welcome the kidnapping of the two Turks as pressure which could push forward the case".

The BBC's Dima Hamdan in Beirut, says the families celebrated in the street after hearing the news of the abduction.

The Turkish foreign ministry issued a statement on Friday urging its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Lebanon. It advised those already there to leave or to take measures to ensure their personal safety.

'Comprehensive investigation'
Our correspondent says the brazen kidnapping took place just outside the airport, a few metres away from an army checkpoint.

This indicates a high level of planning, she says - especially given that the attackers knew the Turkish Airlines crew would be on board.

Lebanese officials said that the abduction happened at 03:00 local time (00:00 GMT), on a bus carrying several members of a Turkish Airlines crew going from the airport to the hotel.

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Lebanese troops are patrolling the area where the kidnapping took place
At least four gunmen were reported to be involved in the kidnapping.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Turkey's foreign ministry "took action as soon as possible" after the kidnapping and that he would personally speak to his Lebanese counterpart Michel Sleiman about the incident.

"Lebanon is a hard and a risky place. I hope they will be rescued in full health as soon as possible," Mr Gul added.

There is now a heavy police presence near where the kidnapping occurred, and sections of the road have been closed.

Pilgrim link
The kidnapping is the latest of a string of incidents in which the Syrian conflict has spilled over into neighbouring Lebanon.

More than 100,000 people have been killed in the 28-month conflict in Syria, with a further 1.7 million Syrians forced to seek shelter in neighbouring countries, according to UN estimates.

The nine Lebanese Shia pilgrims went missing in Aleppo province in northern Syria in May 2012 as they returned from a pilgrimage in Iran.

The Northern Storm brigade, a Syrian opposition group operating near the Turkish border, said it had carried out that abduction.

The group was led at the time by Ammar Dadaykhi - also known as Abu Ibrahim - who was later killed in clashes with Syrian army.

Since the hostage-taking, the relatives' families have staged frequent protests outside the offices of Turkish Airlines in Beirut.

Several rounds of talks to free the pilgrims have failed, and the relatives strongly believe that Ankara can do more to influence Syria's anti-Assad rebels to secure the pilgrims' release.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23629301
 
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Violence in Quetta


More violence has erupted in the Pakistani city of Quetta. Gunmen fired on the vehicle of a former politician, killing at least nine people, as he emerged from a mosque during Eid as Muslims ended their fasting month.

:wow:
Gunmen in the western city of Quetta fired on the vehicle of a former provincial minister leaving a mosque on Friday, during Eid, the Muslim festival ending the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

The attackers killed at least nine people and injured dozens more, police said.

Police official Bashir Ahmad Barohi said the shooting appears to have targeted former provincial minister Ali Madad Jatak, who escaped unharmed.

"The majority of the injured faithful were coming from the mosque," said Brohi. "It was an armed attack on the former minister ... it was not an attack on the mosque."

DW.DE

The Taliban's killer tactics

As ISAF troops prepare to leave Afghanistan next year, a new UN report blames insurgents for a sharp rise in civilian deaths. Experts say the Taliban are employing increasingly bold and deadly tactics. (08.08.2013)

The attack comes one day after a suicide bomber killed at least 30 people at a police funeral in the same city. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for Thursday's attack.

The violence marked a bloody start to the Eid festival, which marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Eyes on Sharif

The attacks are the latest examples of spiralling militant violence since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took office two months ago. His government has yet to present a security strategy to fight violent extremism, which it promised during campaign.

Quetta, the provincial capital of Baluchistan, is a city plagued by separatist fighters as well as sectarian and Islamist militants.

US pulls embassy staff

Non-essential government personnel have been told to leave the US Consulate in Lahore, Pakistan as a security precaution.

"We are undertaking this drawdown due to concerns about credible threat information specific to the US Consulate in Lahore," a senior State Department official said.

In addition, US citizens were being told to defer all non-essential travel to the country.

A US official said the announcement followed a specific threat to the Lahore mission, noting that it was not related to recent closures of several other diplomatic posts in the Middle East and Africa.

hc/ipj (Reuters, AFP, AP, dpa)
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http://www.dw.de/violence-in-pakistans-quetta-continues-during-eid/a-17008910
 
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BOKO HARAM GOING HAM kill 44 at Nigeria mosque
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Nigeria under attack
At least 44 worshippers have been shot dead at a mosque in northeast Nigeria, officials in Borno state say.

The killings took place during dawn prayers on Sunday morning, although news only emerged on Monday.

The attack occurred in the town of Konduga, 35km (22 miles) from the state capital Maiduguri.

The gunmen are suspected to be from the Islamist group Boko Haram, which has killed thousands in northern Nigeria since 2009.

Nigeria's Daily Post reported that a further 26 people were being treated for injuries in hospital in Maiduguri.

A member of a civilian vigilante group told the Associated Press that four of their number were killed when they responded to calls for help.

Twelve further civilians were killed at Ngom village, closer to Maiduguri, reports say.

Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in three north-eastern states in May as his troops carry out an offensive against the Islamist militants.

Boko Haram wants to overthrow the Nigerian government and create an Islamic state in the north.

The BBC's Will Ross, in Lagos, says that while the group has frequently attacked churches, it has also occasionally targeted mosques.

News of the attacks came as a video emerged of the group's leader, Abubakar Shekau, claiming responsibility for recent attacks including some that targeted the police and the military.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-23676872


:wtf:

@brokewave @Blackking
 
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Hey, I didn't make the world this way, G-d did!


Allah wills it
 
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